Tech IT From My Barber: LAST GADGET STANDING CES 2013

One of the most attended events in the International CES is the “Last Gadget Standing”. I never miss the event as I always enjoyed the demos performed by the contestants. I also participate in judging the eventual winner.

The top nine finalists for this coming event are:

1.         Misfit Shine = “an elegant, all-metal activity tracker that you can sync with your smartphone just by placing the device on the screen. It’s tiny so you can wear it just about anywhere anytime. Simply tap the Shine and a halo of lights appear to instantly tell you how you’re tracking to your daily activity goal. The Shine’s proprietary sensor algorithms can track cycling and swimming in addition to just steps so you’ll get more credit where credit is due. Carved out of a solid block of aircraft grade aluminum, it was built to last a lifetime and is super strong and waterproof. The Shine comes with a clasp so you can easily wear it.”

2.         eFlow E3 Nitro = “establishes a new class of electric bikes for North America; a performance oriented, urban bike that is fast, powerful and nimble handling.The Nitro looks fast, even when it’s standing still. Street legal under the US Federal law, it’s fast and efficient with a top motor powered speed of 32 kilometers per hour (20 Miles per hour). You can decide if you want to pedal or not with our dual-mode controls and our powerful 500-Watt silent rear cassette hub motor.

Every aspect of the design says it’s quick. With clean, aerodynamic lines, an integrated battery in the seat post, internal cable routing, and a 20- speed drive train so you always have the right gearing to add your own human power to soar to new heights.”

3.         Telcare = “the world’s first FDA-cleared product to seamlessly combine state of the art cellular communications technology with leading edge diabetes monitoring technology. Since product launch, doctors and patients have recorded significant health improvement and parents have reported far less anxiety in helping children with diabetes. 

30 million Americans have diabetes and must test their blood sugar level multiple times a day. Telcare’s wireless-enabled blood glucose meter seamlessly transmits every result to a secure cloud server and returns immediate guidance and coaching to the user. From Telcare’s FDA- cleared privacy-protected server, the information may be transmitted to doctors, parents, and other caregivers of people with diabetes. Telcare’s suite of smartphone apps enables users and caregivers with any iOS or Android device to graph and track the information, combine it with weight, exercise, diet and medication data, and even join with others in social networking/gaming activities designed to improved control of diabetes.”

4.         Looxcie Inc. = “makers of the first ever wear and share camera, has taken another step forward in elevating the video capture and sharing experience by offering full 1080p recording, built in Wi-Fi, and direct-to-Facebook live streaming with the Looxcie HD.

Now anyone can simultaneously record razor- sharp video while sharing a live broadcast – with a single person, small group, or public forum. Connecting wirelessly to a smartphone or tablet, the inherently mobile nature of the Looxcie HD is supplemented by a broad range of mounting options for ball caps, helmets, bikes and more. Additional new features of the Looxcie HD include: low-light camera sensor, weather resistant casing, expandable micro-SD video storage, and a replaceable, rechargeable battery. So whether you are biking through the woods or ziplining through the rainforest, Looxcie HD will enable you to share life as you live it!”

5.         SecuraPatch™ = “a wireless adhesive sensor built to monitor a broad range of vital signs and activity. The “band-aid-like” patch gathers and transmits data on pre-determined intervals as often as every second to a “relay” and/or to the “cloud” for action or further analysis. If pre- defined changes in condition occur, the SecuraPatch can notify the wearer and their caregivers (doctors, nurses, family members, friends, etc.) via email and/or text message. These notifications can be set for high and low threashold by the wearer or the caregivers and also can be seen via a secure portal from any connected device. SecuraPatch can also be tied into 24/7 monitoring services to provide near- immediate emergency response to health events.”

6.         Samsung Galaxy Note® II = “enables unique experiences in personalized and expressive content creation with its superb viewing experience, enhanced S Pen™ functionality and multitasking capabilities, making it the ultimate smartphone for on-the-go creativity and productivity.

At the heart of the Galaxy Note II is the ability to create and collaborate using the S Pen™, which has been ergonomically redesigned to provide a more precise and natural writing and drawing experience. The new S Pen can sense 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity and provides the ability to capture ideas, inspiration and information instantly. With the Galaxy Note II, you can combine handwriting with any digital content directly on the screen, such as adding new calendar appointments by writing event details directly on the day of the week, signing a document with your own signature, or adding handwritten notes to an email.”

7.         DROID DNA by HTC = “offers the first true HD viewing experience with its industry-leading 5- inch super LCD 3 1080p HD display and the highest pixel density available at 440 PPI. Designed to accentuate the incredible display is a curved, soft-touch back that tapers to a mere 4mm which feels comfortable in your hand or pocket. DROID DNA by HTC is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 quad-core 4G LTE- enabled processor, 2 GB of RAM and HTC Sense 4+ paired with Android Jelly Bean for smooth multitasking, gaming and video watching. HTC ImageSense sets a new standard by bringing improvements to every part of the smartphone’s 8 MP camera. DROID DNA by HTC also boasts a 2.1 MP front-facing camera with an 88 ̊ wide-angle lens. Featuring Beats Audio, a 2.55v built-in headset amplifier and dedicated rear-speaker amp, DROID DNA by HTC delivers crystal clear sound.”

 8.        LuminæTM = “a stylish, modern, clean, light-driven Keyboard+ and Touchpad+ that allows for customization to meet your every need. 

-       By using custom skins and software, you can move buttons, trackpad areas or use the entire clean glass surface for all ‘Type & SwipeTM’ functions.

-       Customize LuminæTM with sound, light and color to custom functionality:

-       Visible light LEDs allow for 16 million custom color options.

-       Speaker within the base allows you to control the auditory feedback with each stroke.

-       Type & SwipeTM Technology allows user’s gestures to be interpreted as input for both a Keyboard+ and a Touchpad+ without changing settings or skins.

-       Pre-order LuminæTM today by visiting translusense.com. You’ll be the first to experience the sleek, clean, state of the art design – and make your desktop a landscape of art and glass.“

9.         The Galaxy Camera™= “is the perfect combination of photo technology and mobile device – a completely new kind of camera that doesn’t just capture smiles, it also lets you use voice commands, share images and videos instantly and take full advantage of the Android™ 4.1, Jelly Bean platform. It’s a powerful camera with a familiar, intuitive user interface and access to all your favorite apps from the Google Play™ market. First and foremost, this is a serious camera designed to capture amazing images in almost any situation. The Galaxy Camera features a 4.8-inch HD Super Clear LCD screen, boasts a 21x optical zoom lens and a super-bright 16MP BSI CMOS sensor for shooting high-quality images close up and in low light conditions. But more importantly, Galaxy Camera is the beginning of a brand new product category. In addition to being able to share to social networks and cloud services over Wi-Fi®, consumers can harness the speed and connectivity of AT&T’s wireless network, making the Galaxy Camera the world’s first camera to work on a wireless carrier’s network.“

The 10th finalist will be announced at the show itself. I look forward to witnessing the wonders of these new gadgets.

Display of Mankind’s New Creations

In order to maximize the benefits of attending the International CES on January 6-11, 2013, as a credentialed member of the Press, I am now starting to fill up my Pre-Show Planner.

So far, I have received about 400 and counting email invitations from consumer technology companies who are launching new products and/or technologies at the conference. The invitations are for press conferences, press interviews and demos. Many include social-gatherings or receptions in chosen hotels in Las Vegas.

Effective and efficient prioritization and scheduling is necessary.

The enormity of this event is mind-boggling. I am publishing the latest relevant press release of International CES to prove my point.

2013 International CES To Feature Record Amount of Exhibit Space

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)^® today announced that the 2013 International CES^® will feature a record amount of exhibit space, with the show floor totaling more than 1.87 million net square feet. The previous record was 1.862 million net square feet at the 2012 CES. Owned and produced by CEA, the 2013 CES, the world’s largest innovation event, is scheduled Tuesday, January 8-Friday, January 11, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“With the largest show floor in history, more innovative technologies and services will launch at the 2013 CES than anywhere else in the world,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CEA. “From cloud-based services, advancements in digital health, connected vehicle technologies, the latest apps, flexible devices and beyond, the innovations unveiled at the 2013 CES will create new jobs and further economic growth around the world.”

The 2013 CES will feature 3,000 exhibitors spanning the largest show floor in the event’s 45-year history. A record number of eight automakers will exhibit at the 2013 CES, including Audi, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Hyundai, Kia, Lexus and Subaru, across more than 100,000 net square feet of exhibit space.

The iLounge Pavilion returns to the 2013 CES with a combined total of 120,000 net square feet of i-related products and technologies. Showcasing more than 440 exhibitors, iLounge has quadrupled since its launch in 2010 and will be located in the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) North Hall and the LVH.

A must-see destination at the 2013 CES is the expanded Eureka Park, featuring 140 exhibitors including entrepreneurs, start-ups and small companies showcasing the next-generation of technology. New to Eureka Park for 2013 is the Startup America stage, which will bring together startups, investors, large companies and media to highlight the amazing innovations unveiled at the 2013 CES.

Digital health and fitness technology has expanded by 25 percent within the FitnessTech TechZone, with more than 220 companies showcasing devices beyond weight, body mass index(BMI), exercise and calorie tracking. The next-generation of health and fitness devices and apps on display will offer access to patient’s complete medical histories, comprehensive biometric data and remote access to medical professionals. The 2013 CES will feature more than 25,000 net square feet of digital health and fitness exhibits.

Some 20,000 new products will launch at the 2013 CES with major product trends including cloud-based services, gesture and sensing technologies, connected vehicles, the latest smartphone and tablet innovations and Ultra HDTV.

“We are always proud to be the world’s largest consumer technology event, but even more important is the significance of the International CES as the launchpad for new innovations and products and our role in bringing the global industry together to meet with the best and brightest movers and shakers from across the technology ecosystem, to network, make deals and exchange ideas,” said Shapiro.

The 2013 CES conference program will feature 300 robust sessions and 800 speakers, including keynotes from the leaders of Qualcomm, Panasonic, Samsung and Verizon, as well as a Brand Keynote panel with executives from American Express, AT&T, Coca-Cola, Salesforce.com, Samsung and Unilever.

Additionally, the Entertainment Matters program, sponsored by Variety,is back for its third year with exhibits, conference programs and special events for professionals in the entertainment community and will feature actress Felicia Day as the program’s ambassador.

For more information on the 2013 CES, including registration information, conference sessions and a complete list of CES exhibitors, visit CESweb.org.

About CEA:

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the $206 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry. More than 2,000 companies enjoy the benefits of CEA membership, including legislative advocacy, market research, technical training and education, industry promotion, standards development and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CEA also owns and produces the International CES – The Global Stage for Innovation. All profits from CES are reinvested into CEA’s industry services. Find CES at www.CESweb.org and through socialmedia:  http://facebook.com/InternationalCES,http://twitter.com/IntlCES, http://blog.ce.org/.

LITTLE “MIRACLES”

These newly invented or created products are so amazing that I call them little “miracles”. They would be on display ironically in the “Sin City” of Las Vegas.

If you live in Nevada, Southern California or anywhere, it is worth the drive or the trip to go, attend and witness the unveiling of these new creations.

You will not regret it!

mHealth Summit 2012

During the last few weeks, I had the privilege of attending several conferences and expos. Almost all of them involved information technologies, but many also focused on the utilization of mobile technologies.

The latest one is the mHealth Summit which I am currently attending as I write this column. It is the largest of its kind and “brings together leaders in government, the private sector, industry, academia, providers and not-for-profit organizations from across the mHealth ecosystem to advance collaboration in the use of wireless technology to improve health outcomes in the United States and abroad.”

Dubbed as one connecting Technology, Business, Research and Policy, the Summit is actually a global meeting by virtue of the participation of 54 countries spanning different parts of the world.

The list of the countries as provided to me by the organizers include:

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WHY GO MOBILE? Let the numbers speak for themselves.

In 2012, there are over 6 billion mobile phone subscriptions for a world population of 7 billion.  In fact, in the United States, 297 million people own cell phones. That is 94% of the total population.

Chuck Martin, a Best-Selling Author and Moderator of one of the sessions, now calls the mobile device the 3rd Screen – with the TV and the PC Screens being the 1st and 2nd respectively.  There are 2 billion TVs and 1 billion PCs today.

In his book, “The Third Screen”, which I received at the Summit, he stated that, in the United States, 23 million people let go of their landlines within a 5-year period. Globally, there were 57 million fewer landlines within the same period but 1.9 billion mobile cellular subscriptions were added.

In China, 9 out of 10 mobile users text on the phones. In fact, worldwide 7 trillion text messages were sent last year with each Texter sending an average of 3200 texts monthly.

In 107 countries, cell phones exceed the population. In Japan, consumers swipe cell phones rather than credit cards for payment. In South Korea, free mobile television has been around for 5 years. Broadcasters there say almost 30 million people watch TV regularly from their phones.

After mentioning the mobile data to my barber he said: “There are now more people TYPING with their THUMBS than with the normal way (all fingers).”

As of March 2011, over half of U.S. consumers carry a smartphone, and 90% of them say they use their device every single day.

Juniper Networks also reports the following interesting Smartphone user behavior and expectations: 89% of business users access critical work data from their personal mobile device; 41% business users use personal devices for work without company permission/knowledge; 30% of IT pros belong to companies that experienced security threat due to a personal mobile device; 41% of IT pros are concerned about security breaches due to lost or stolen mobile devices; there will be a 1.19 billion worldwide mobile worker population by end of 2013; 35% of the world’s workforce are expected to be mobile by the end of 2013;  and 32% of IT pros are concerned with personal mobile devices introducing malware.

At the Summit, separate sessions were conducted dealing with obesity, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Healthcare for the aging population was also a concern.

Again, I chose to tell the story by looking at the numbers as I obtained in the sessions.

Over 2/3 of Americans are overweight or obese and 79 million are pre-diabetic.

Cancer and heart disease now cause 1 out of every 2 U.S. deaths. Spending on these chronic conditions account for a staggering 75% of the $2.6 trillion annual U.S. healthcare budget.

At the current growth rates, healthcare costs will consume 1/5 of GDP by 2018 and over 1/3 by 2030.

Starbucks spends more on employee health benefits than coffee.  GM, Ford, and Chrysler spend more on employee health expenses than on the steel they use to make cars.

According to the mHealth Alliance, by 2015 there will be more people over the age of 65 than children under 5. By 2050, there will be an estimated 1.5 billion people age 65 or over.

In a survey of older people in 36 countries, 61% of older people have access to a mobile phone.

GOOD NEWS

Fortunately diabetes, obesity, hypertension and their downstream complications including cancer and heart disease are largely preventable. Studies also show that 40% of cancers (prostate, breast, lung and colon) and 75 % of all cardiovascular disease can be prevented by healthy behavior.

The Promise of mHealth

More than 4000 participants composed of “leaders in government, the private sector, industry, academia, providers and not-for-profit organizations from across the mHealth ecosystem” precisely gathered in one place to exchange data, information, knowledge, expertise as well as to demonstrate new mobile technologies with the goal of improving health outcomes worldwide.

Indeed, the use of mobile information and communication technology and applications for health is the promise of mHealth. As described by the mHealth Alliance, it “is the ability to assist in preventing the onset of debilitating, chronic diseases, and to assist in the management and treatment of existing conditions toward a society of citizens who are more productive, functional, and healthier.”

I feel proud and lucky to have participated in this large and very informative event!

TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCES IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

There are 4 major technology events occurring in one location starting on November 27, 2012 and ending on November 29, 2012.  The 4 events are: Government VIDEO EXPO 2012; GovComm12; Enterprise Architecture Conference; and GOVERNMENT INFORMATION and ANALYTICS SUMMIT. It is being held at the Washington, D.C. Convention Center.

I am covering it for the Asian Journal USA and will most likely write about most of the new multi-media technologies, both software and hardware, that will be displayed, discussed, and demonstrated in the 4 expo-conferences. These are the technologies utilized by the government agencies including the White House. In fact, as in past conferences, the White House Videographer is delivering one of the Keynote Speeches.  Hope Hall will of course, provide us attending members of the media access to some White House photos and video footages.

The Government VIDEO EXPO is a very interesting and informative event. The  usual attendees are Videographers, Producers, Editors, Graphics and effects Artists, Sound Engineers, Video Engineers, Production Managers, AV Designers, Integrators and installers, Educators and AV and IT professionals.

For the other 3 events, the attendees are mostly Contractors, AV, Media and Systems Engineers, CIOs and CTOs, Enterprise Architects, IT/Network Managers, Procurement Officers, Project and Program Managers and Business Intelligence Analysts.

The Government VIDEO EXPO provides the attendees several Conference Tracks: Final Cut Pro Workshop; Adobe After Effects Workshop; Producer/Director Workshop; Web 3.0 Social Media and Web Video; Adobe Premiere Pro Workshop; Digital Video Production; Advanced Motion Graphics and Visual FX In-Depth; and Adobe Creative Suite Production Premium Workshop.

All of them are very educational and offered for free to credentialed members of the Press like me. Time and human limitations prevent me from attending all so I will select and prioritize as always.

The other conferences offer valuable education and training as well. Topics include: Determining Streaming Bandwidth; Cybersecurity: How to Protect Your Assets; Space, Time, and Technology: The Future of AV; AV Project Management; Future Trends; Secure Remote Monitoring and Management; Information Security and Hardware Hardening for AV; and Basic Room Acoustics for Technology Managers.

Whatever I decide to attend and correspondingly absorb, I will surely share the data, information, knowledge and some of the intelligence gathered. I qualified the intelligence part because some cannot to be shared publicly.  Some are not even commercialized.

The Washington Post’s Mobile Madness

In the month of March every year, basketball aficionados that include President Barack Obama focus their attention to what the media calls “March Madness”.

This is the NCAA tournament where 64 college basketball teams are chosen to compete for the NCAA Championship Crown. These teams are assigned to regional divisions/brackets in the U.S.  Each team is seeded according to how strong a contender is in the region and its possibility for reaching the Sweet 16, the Elite 8, the Final 4 and the Championship.

In last Sunday’s edition of the Washington Post, the paper aptly described what it called the “Mobile Madness”.  Beautifully drawn in a graphic format (See photo) a la “March Madness”, it presented a guide to the path of choosing which Smartphone and/or Tablet should one purchase for use or gift for the holidays in this Digital Age.

The Final Four have been chosen and seeded based on the market share of the contenders whose numbers were provided by the International Data Corporation. 

No. 1 Seed is APPLE with 46.4 percent market share; No.2 Seed is GOOGLE with 44.1 percent; No. 3 is AMAZON with 8.4 percent; and No. 4 Seed is MICROSOFT (Windows) with 0.6 percent.

In Basketball you deal with Field Goals, Free Throws, Assists, Rebounds, Steals and other intangibles. In Mobile Devices, you look at the features that deal with Video, Audio, Gaming, Reading, APPS, Operating System, Hardware and of course, the X-FACTOR.

According to the Washington Post, as I analyze the factors that they have illustrated and featured, you would choose APPLE if you prefer the following: VIDEO – Seamless integration with your TV; AUDIO – Loads of podcasts; GAMING – Never lose a high score; READING – A showcase for the magazines and newspapers; APPS – To be where quality apps launch first; OPERATING SYSTEM – One that’s intuitive and easy to use; HARDWARE – A sleek exterior built with precision; and X-FACTOR – A product that is energy efficient and recyclable.

You would choose GOOGLE if you prefer: VIDEO – Cheap video rentals; AUDIO – Excellent sound quality; GAMING – More types of games and peripherals; READING – The largest selection of free books; APPS – Cool, cutting edge apps; OPERATING SYSTEM – One that’s always up to date; HARDWARE – Many devices to choose from; and X-FACTOR – To customize your device.

You would choose AMAZON if you prefer: VIDEO – Free movie streaming; AUDIO – 89 cent tracks; GAMING – A well-curated list of games; READING – A library that goes with you, no matter which device you use; APPS – Well-curated apps, not having to sift through junks; OPERATING SYSTEM – A super fast Web browser; and X-FACTOR – A shopping mall in the palm of your hand.

Finally, you would choose MICROSOFT (Windows) if you prefer: VIDEO – Nothing more than access to Hulu/Netflix; AUDIO – Free music streaming without Pandora; GAMING – A system with strong gaming roots; READING – You prefer pulp. Better in case you drop it in the tub; APPS – Business apps. Let’s get to work; OPERATING SYSTEM – Something that works well with your P.C.; HARDWARE – Computing power and ability to plug in printers to mobile devices; and X-FACTOR – To make PowerPoint’s from your sofa.

The above is the analysis of the Business Section of the Washington Post of the Mobile Madness as I interpret it.

Depending on your level of comfort, values, and priorities, any of the four choices would be a good one.

According to my barber, the Top 3 Seeds (APPLE, GOOGLE, and AMAZON) are akin to North Carolina, Duke, and Kentucky, not necessarily in that order. MICROSOFT would be the Cinderella team at this point in time. 

But whether in the “Game of Thrones”, in the “Boardwalk Empire”, in the “Newsroom” or in your “Homeland”, you will always remain as the King, Emperor, Anchor, Spymaster and Champion of your mobile device.

Having any of them is like having your own Kingdom dubbed Planet of the Apps connected to the Universe with local knowledge globalized and global ones localized in multimedia formats.

Mobile Madness

Gift Guide for the Digital Age

A few weeks ago, I received my badge and tickets to attend the International CES (Consumer Electronic Show) in Las Vegas, Nevada on January 6-11, 2013 as a credentialed member of the Press. This is because I am a columnist of Asian Journal USA and a Blogger of Google BlogSpot.

Correspondingly, I have booked my flight and reserved my hotel room. I am now filling out my CES Planner and prioritizing which innovative and new technology companies that are exhibiting I should visit at the conference.

Almost all these companies have a PR representative who issues press releases to the media arranging for meetings with its company’s CEO or to have a hands-on look at their new products. Some even offer sample products for review.

Among the major events at the CES are Digital Health Summit, Silvers Summit, Fitness Tech Summit, HigherEd Tech Summit, and Kids@Play/Mommy Tech Summit. Living in Digital Times (LIDT) whose founder is Robin Raskin produces all these summits. The latter has been reviewing and writing about the most innovative technology and gadgets to hit the market for the past 30 years. 

I plan to meet with Robin Raskin at the CES for a more detailed view of the technology trends but for the holidays and prior to the event, I thought that I should share with you LIDT’s Holiday Gift Guide for the Digital Age.

Through its PR representative Karen Pineman of LKPR, Inc. I obtained permission to publish LIDT’s guide in my column.

Holiday Gift Guide for the Digital Age

Lifestyle Technology Experts at Living in Digital Times Offer Hot Picks for Every Family Member

Digitally Connected Kids 

GeoPalz - The first pedometer for tracking a child’s daily activity. The more steps kids take, the more pedpoints they earn. There are 26 unique designs that kids can trade in for prizes or time in the online arcade. Ages 5-12, $25.00
Wanderful Interactive Storybooks (Wanderful) - Educational storybook apps based on the classic LivingBooks titles, where every word and every page is interactive, enriching the reading experience and engaging kids for hours.  There are six apps in all, $4.99 each.
Tablets - The hottest trend in kids gifts this year. An explosion of durable kid-oriented tablets that offer parental controls and family-friendly content have hit the market. Examples include LeapPad2($99) from LeapFrog, a first tablet for preschoolers, and the Kurio⁷($149.99) from Techno Source, an Android family tablet that allows parents to create up to 8 user profiles with custom settings.  
Apptivity - Have fun while learning.  Apps promote educational and social skills but the interactive features make them a lot of fun to play. Companies such as FingerPrint Digital offer 15 free engaging apps and Scholastic Apps, which offer a variety of book, reading, and gaming apps all under $10.
 
Students’ Campus Cravings
 
IZIP™ Electric Bikes (Currie Technologies) - A cool new alternative for commuting, getting around campus or having fun. A safe, reliable and emission free ride.  $999 and up.
BookRenter™ - Make college a little less expensive. Open an account and let your student rent, buy or sell books with ease, while saving up to 80% off the costs of books at the campus book store.
Sky^TM WiFi Smartpen (Livescribe) – Studying enters the digital age. This smartpen wirelessly records written notes and audio, digitizes the information and sends the notes to an online account.  $170.
AfterShokz™ Sportz M2 w Mic - The next generation of open ear sport headphones. They sit comfortably in front of the ear and use bone conduction technology to keep ears open to ambient noises. Safely keeps co-eds connected to their music and social life while remaining active. $79.95.
 
Mom’s Digital Makeover
 
Samsung Galaxy S® III – Large easy to read screen, great sound and camera makes sharing memories and keeping up with to dos easier than ever. Preloaded AllShare® Play allows content to be sent instantly to friends and groups of devices. From $549.99.
AboutOne – Easily organize a busy family. An online family organizer that automatically organizes, stores, and shares family memories and household paperwork. The go to place to keep families running smoothly. Affordable $5 and $10 monthly plans available.
Agloves Sport - Thicker, warmer touch gloves will touch her heart and let her keeping typing at the same time. Comfortable, snug fit and 10-finger touchscreen functionality. Works on all smartphones and tablets, $25.99.
ZIP™ Wireless Activity Tracker (FitBit) – A boost for the active mom. Tracks steps, distance, calories burned, and syncs stats to computers and select smartphones.  The new Zip™ will encourage mom to set goals and challenge friends, turning everyday life into a social and achievable path to fitness.  $59.95.
 
 
Dads Deserve a Digital Upgrade

Nexus ⁷ - This 12 oz. Android tablet is designed with 32GB of storage, and the ability to connect to most mobile data networks. It’s the perfect on the go companion. From $199.
BodyMedia® FIT - 2013 is the year to get fit.  An on-body monitoring system that consists of the Armband monitor ($149), online Activity Manager ($6.95/month), an optional display and free downloadable apps for mobile device users. The Armbands automatically track the calories burned during daily activities and works as a fitness monitor to measure the intensity of workouts. It also monitors sleep quality. 
WorkFit (Ergotron^®) - An exciting line of sit-stand desks and mounting devices for the wall, ceiling and desk that adapts technology to dads’ physical needs, creating a healthy and comfortable work environment at the office or at home. Wide range of price points. 
vFree Headphones (Velodyne) - Removes the constraints of wired headphones. Velodyne skins offer unique artistic designs and can be easily changed depending on mood or style. Offers Bluetooth connectivity compatible with iPhones, iPod Touchs, and iPads and apt-X® coding for true wireless sound reproduction. $299.
 
 Seniors: Cloud to the Rescue
 
5Star Urgent Response System and Medical Apps (GreatCall) – A personal emergency system to help keep your loved ones feel safe and in touch, even when they’re out and about. Press the button and the service connects you to a GreatCall operator trained to help in emergencies.  Enter your doctor’s name, family members and medical advice into their database and you can rest easier. $49.99 for 5Star device; $14.99/month for service.
PhotoBucket – A great way to keep close. Share your family photos with the whole family. Provides an easy way to upload, edit and share videos and photos from any device.  Free sign-up. Manage remotely to update every occasion.  Costs vary by storage space.
Biscotti™ TV Cam – Check in on loved ones from the comfort of your living room. The sleek, small device is easy to use and turns televisions into a giant, videophone - no computer required. $199.
Netflix - Instantly watch unlimited movies & TV show episodes streaming over the Internet to the TV via most internet connected devices.  Service can be set up and managed remotely. $7.99/month.

New “miracles” at the Sin City! These I have to see! So do you.